Carrier for wall hung fixtures



y 4, 1955 R. J. LEROU ETAL 3,181,178

CARRIER FOR WALL HUNG FIXTURES Filed'June 22, 1962 20 INVENTORS ROGER J.LEROU JOHN E. EMBERS N jL MW P ATTORN EY United States Patent "ice3,131,178 {BARBER FGR WALL G FHKTURE Roger 5. Lawn and John E. Emherson,Scarborough, @ntario, Qanada, assignors to .losam Products Limited,Toronto, Gntario, Canada, a corporation of flntmio Filed June 22, 1962,Ser. No. 204,55@ 2 Claims. (UL 4-252) This invention relates to fixturecarr'ers and in particular to fixture carriers for plumbinginstallations wherein the fixture such as a ceramic toilet bowl fixtureis installed in the room provided for such facilities so that thefixture is off of the floor.

In particular, the present invention relates to a means for mounting afixture on a fixture carrier of the type wherein the fixture, such as atoilet bowl or water closet is mounted on a fixture carrier which isattached to the utility wall structure of the room, the carrier having acarrier plate which is provided with three or four fixture supportmembers, the number of members depending on whether the toilet bowl isof the blow-out type or siphon-jet type respectively. A fixture carrierof the type to which this invention relates is shown and described inUnited States Patent No. 2,932,037 to Manas.

However, the invention is not limited to a specific number of supportmembers for example, two lower support members may be employed as in thestructure illustrated in Canadian Patent No. 640,394.

One of the problems presented by the type of fixture carrier referred tois that the carrier must be installed inside the wall partition or onthe opposite face of the wall with respect to which the toilet bowl ismounted before the wall is finished. In such cases the fixture supportmembers have to be long enough to extend through the utility wall afterit has been completely finished and protrude through preformed holes inthe mounting racxet of the fixture. This type of structure has requiredthat the adjustable or back-up nuts against which the flange of thefixture is held must be threaded onto the bolts and correctly locatedbefore the wall is finished because the nuts are inaccessible foradjustment after the wall is completed. The correct positioning of theback-up nuts presents a critical problem in the installation of awall-hung fixture to a fixture carrier.' Variations in walls and fixturesurfaces such as depressions and warps, even though of a small amount,can cause breakage of the fixture due to the improper arresting andseating of the fixture on the supporting members relative to the backupnuts and washers. Such improper seating results in torsional forcesbeing applied to the fixture mounting bracket when the fixture fasteningbolts are tightened. These torsional forces result in breakage of thefixture. The structures presently in use provide no means for finaladjustment after the fixture is installed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixture carrierlor a wall-hung fixture which will provide a mounting for the fixturethat will permit the final adjustment of the fixture carrier relative tothe outside face of the finished wall on which the fixture is beingmounted and thus avoid breakage of the fixture. By the presentinvention, this final adjustment can be made by the person installingthe fixture after the wall is finished and after the fixture has beenplaced in position on the support members. The person installing thefixture is thereby enabled to adjust the support members to take intoaccount variations in the finished wall and fixture surfaces and therebyavoid the application of torsional forces to the mounting bracket of thefixture when the fixture fastening bolts are tightened down to securethe fixture in place.

Other and further advantages and objects of the inven- 318M7 8 FatenteclMay 4, 1965 tion will be apparent from the following description and theaccompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings- FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly in cross-section,in which the subject matter of the invention is shown as supporting aceramic closet bowl.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view, in crosss-ection, of thefixture support members showing the subject matter of the invention indetail.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the adjustable fixture supportingmember shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a suitable tool for use in adjustingthe member as hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings and description refer only to such parts ofthe fixture carrier, the toilet bowl and the utility wall as isnecessary for the purpose of illustrating the construction and use ofthe invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 8 indicates a floorand the reference numeral 9 indicates generally the utility wall onwhich the fixture indicated enerally by the numeral 7 is to be mounted.

The fixture may be either of the blow-out type or of the jet type whichrequire three or four fixture support members. For purposes ofillustration and not by way of limitation, the fixture is of the typeemploying four support members.

The fixture carrier shown in the drawings includes a carrier plate 16, afixture connection 11, nipple plate 12, fixture connection nipple 13,coupling 14 and a carrier foot 15 which is suitably attached to andsupports the carrier plate lit in an upright position. The cross section(FIGURE 1) shows only an upper support member 16 and a lower supportmember 17 but this is considered snfi'lcient for the purpose ofillustrating the invention. In the present illustration the members 16,17 are threaded bolts. The positions of the four support bolts or thethree support bolts previously mentioned, are specified by the fixturemanufacturer. In such case, where four suspension bolts are required,they are positioned to register with the four bolt holes 19 preformed inthe fixture mounting bracket, by the bowl manufac turer, two of whichbolt holes are shown.

Each support bolt carries a sleeve nut 26 which is threaded on to thesupport bolt prior to the installation of the fixture. Each sleeve nutis circular in crosssection, has a smooth exterior and its outsidediameter is such as to fit into its respective bolt hole with sufiicientclearance to allow the fixture to slide thereon without unnecessaryforce. The sleeve is provided or formed with an inner flange 21 whichserves as a back-up flange which arrests the fixture and holds it awayfrom the wall. Mounted on the sleeve adjacent the flange 21 is a steelbearing washer 22 and a fibre bearing washer 23 against which the insidewall of the mounting bracket of the closet bowl will rest. The outer endof the sleeve nut is formed with tool engaging members which in thepresent illustration take the form of diametrically opposite notches 24.The fixture is supported entirely on the sleeves and has no contact withthe wall.

The tool for effecting the final adjustment of the sleeve nut 20 isillustrated in FIGURE 4 and consists of a tubular body 25 having anoutside diameter that it will fit into the bolt holes. The tubular bodyis formed at one end with lugs 26 which are positioned to register withand fit into the notches 24. The other end of the body carries a fingergrip 27 which is used for turning the tool when it is in the position toeffect the required adjustment of the tubular sleeve nut 20.

The present invention is used in the following manner a the carrierbracket consisting of the parts associated therewith are mounted inplace in accordance with conventional practice and the sleeve nut 20 isthread engaged on to the supporting members prior to the installation ofthe fixture such as the toilet bowl 7. The fixture is mounted on to thesleeve nuts. If adjustment is necessary, the adjusting wrench shown inFIGURE 4 is inserted into the fixture bolt hole and the necessaryadjustment is made bringing the sleeve nuts'20 into the required back-upposition. When the correct adjustment has been accomplished, the fixtureis fastened in position on the sleeve nuts by means of the nut 28threaded onto the respective support members and bearing Washer 29.

The foregoing description sets forth an embodiment of the invention forthe purpose of illustrating its construction and operation. It will beapparent to those experienced in this field that the same is susceptibleto modifications without departing from the substance of the invention.

\Vhat we claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent of't'neUnited States is:

1. For a wall hung fixture having a flat mounting surface in parallelrelationship with a vertical utility Wall, a fixture carrier for thewall hung fixture having a carrier body mounted in an upright positionadjacent and parallel to the utility wall, a plurality of cantileveredsupport members carried by the carrier body and projecting horizontallytherefrom, said members being positioned to register with preformedmounting holes formed in an internally threaded fixture mountingsurface, a fixture supporting sleeve rotatably mounted on each memberand dlmensioned to fit snugly into a portion of its respective preformedmounting hole to form a solid support for the fixture, said sleevehaving a vertical back-up flange positioning the wall hung fixturerelative to the utility wall, said sleeves being adjustablelongitudinally on the supports'by means of a tool inserted from thefront into the preformed mounting holes to position all of the flangesin coplanar relationship with the fixture mounting surface when thefixture is mounted in position.

2. For a wall hung fixture having a flat mounting surface in parallelrelationship with a vertical utility wall, a fixture carrier for theWall hung fixture having a carrier body mounted in an upright positionadjacent and parallel to the outside surface of the utility wall, aplurality of cantilevered support members carried by the carrier bodyand projecting horizontally through said wall and having an extensionextending beyond the inner face of the utility wall, said members andtheir extensions being positioned to register with and enter preformedmounting holes formed in the fixture mounting surface, a fixturesupporting sleeve mounted on each extension member for fitting snuglyinto its respective preformed mounting hole to form a solid support forthe fixture, and a vertical backup flange on each sleeve positioning thewall hung fixture relative to said utility wall, and complemental meanscarried by the extensions and the sleeves wherebysaicl sleeves areadjustable longitudinally on the support members relative to each otherby means of a tool inserted from the front into the preformed mountingholes to position all of the back-up flanges in coplanar relationshipwith the fixture mounting surface when the fixture is mounted inposition.

Reierenees Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,826 8/16Donovan 4252 XR 1,378,015 5/21 Erickson 287'1l7 XR 2,702,391 2/55Schrnid 4252 LEWIS I. LENNY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK H. BRONAUGH, Examiner.

1. FOR A WALL HUNG FIXTURE HAVING A FLAT MOUNTING SURFACE IN PARALLELRELATIONSHIP WITH A VERTICAL UTILITY WALL, A FIXTURE CARRIED FOR THEWALL HUNG FIXTURE HAVING A CARRIER BODY MOUNTED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITIONADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO THE UTILITY WALL, A PLURALITY OF CANTILEVEREDSUPPORT MEMBERS CARRIED BY THE CARRIER BODY AND PROJECTING HORIZONTALLYTHEREFROM, SAID MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED TO REGISTER WITH PERFORMEDMOUNTING HOLES FORMED IN AN INTERNALLY THREADED FIXTURE MOUNTINGSURFACE, A FIXTURE SUPPORTING SLEEVE ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON EACH MEMBERAND DIMENSIONED TO FIT SNUGLY INTO A PORTION OF ITS RESPECTIVE PREFORMEDMOUNTING HOLE TO FORM A SOLID SUPPORT FOR THE FIXTURE, SAID SLEEVEHAVING A VERTICAL BACK-UP FLANGE POSITIONING THE WALL HUNG FIXTURERELATIVE TO THE UTILITY WALL, SAID SLEEVES BEING ADJUSTABLELONGITUDINALLY ON THE SUPPORTS BY MEANS OF A TOOL INSERTED FROM THEFRONT INTO THE PERFORMED MOUNTING HOLES TO POSITION ALL OF THE FLANGESIN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIXTURE MOUNTING SURFACE WHEN THEFIXTURE IS MOUNTED IN POSITION.